The US and China - eternal frenemies of our volatile world - have rarely seen eye-to-eye. For decades, their icy relationship has dictated how nations around the world chose their allies.
But after seemingly taking a cue from the Godfather 2’s Michael Corleone - US President Donald Trump is looking to keep his friends close, and his enemies closer.
The recent camaraderie between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping has raised concerns - particularly for nations like India in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a significant outreach to Beijing, the US and China have signalled their intention to “set up military-to-military channels to deconflict and deescalate any problems that arise”.
Confirming the same in a post on X, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared that he and China’s Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun both agree that “peace, stability, and good relations” are the best path forward for both superpowers.
This latest development is sure to raise a few eyebrows. Given that for years, the US has basically been the biggest deterrent to China’s belligerence in the Indo-Pacific region - from Taiwan Strait to South China Sea and the Ladakh frontier.
The recent moves mark an astonishing turnaround by an administration that during Trump’s first term labelled China as a hostile adversary that needed to be challenged and contained if not defeated.
India emerged as a key ally for the US in the Indo-Pacific region, often deftly balancing US foreign policy with strategic independence. But now, given the US and China’s ‘G2’ duopoly, how should India react?
Ever since independence, India has on numerous occasions been at odds with her neighbour - China. Be it the 1962 war, or more recently, 2017’s Doklam standoff as well as 2020’s Galwan Valley clashes. India has been stepping up its maritime preparedness in the South China sea too, conducting several joint exercises over the last few years with fellow QUAD members - Japan, Australia, and of course, the US.
A report by The Indian Express suggests that New Delhi will wait and watch and does not want to jump to conclusions about the defence engagement between the US and China.
Remember, just last week, India and the US signed a 10-year Defence Framework agreement.
Defence Minister Ranjath Singh lauded the deal declaring it will “usher in a new era” in an already strong Indo-US defence partnership. Further adding that the Indo-US defence partnership is “critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region”.
